Pokémon Red
by Lan Prower Kopaka
Summary: A fan-written novelization of the first Pokemon game, Pokémon Red! Red begins to take the brave steps into a journey to become a Pokémon Master! Enjoy the new take on an old and familiar world as Red grows beyond the role of simply silent protagonist and into the hero we know and love! If you want something true to the source material, with a couple twists and turns, check it out!
1. Chapter One: Pallet Town

_**Chapter One: Pallet Town**_

If I had learned anything by living in Pallet Town, it's that a small town is majorly restricting. Sure, having the Pokémon Professor for a teacher was a great honor, and the townsfolk were all friendly and knew his family well, but there were drawbacks.

The small town was barely on the map. Aside from being the home of Professor Oak, there was nothing worth mentioning; slightly depressing, really. For some, this loss of intrigue and excitement, and especially adventure, was a gain.

I can't say I haven't enjoyed my 10 years in town, but I'm anxious to leave. Sadly, Pokémon were aggressive creatures, and you could only leave Pallet Town with repels. The town was only a small clearing with two houses and a laboratory. There were some houses out in the forest, but they weren't a main part of the town. Essentially, aside from hanging out with my friends Yellow Satoshi and Green Leaf, there wasn't a lot to do here in Pallet Town.

If I wasn't roaming around town with my friends, I'd be sitting here, as I am, playing my SNES. Unfortunately, playing games was losing its luster with my limited environment. I decided that I'd rather see my friends than play my SNES, so I headed downstairs to let Mom know I was off to visit my friend Yellow.

Stepping down the stairs, I saw her sitting in front of the big TV in the room. "Hey Mom, I'm gonna see Yellow, just so you know I'm gone." Yellow Ash Satoshi, despite the strange name, was a good friend and was a lot like me. He could be a bit too easygoing and lenient with some things, but he was cool sometimes.

After a second of thought, she said, "Right." Her eyes seemed filled with tears, and it was scary to see her this way. She could get emotional sometimes, but there was almost always a reason for it. She was a strong woman, especially after her past experiences, so her tearing up was worth investigating.

"All boys leave home someday. It said so on TV." It was so confusing to hear her say that, so I turned to the television. A movie called Stand By Me was on. Mom's favorite. My eyes turned to slits in annoyance. Mom was just overreacting to the movie.

"Oh yes," she added, wiping the tears away, "Professor Oak, next door, was looking for you." Pallet Town, being as small as it was, meant that walking to Professor Oak's house, or even his laboratory, would take only a few seconds.

Still, I raised an eyebrow to the statement, but I suppose it wasn't too strange. This wasn't the first time the professor took an interest in me. I responded with "Okay" and left. I had the bizarre feeling Mom was starring at me, but I decided to just walk on.

Getting next door barely took a minute, and soon I was greeted by Daisy. Daisy May Oak was a pretty young woman, and she was a joy to be around. She was always very generous and always took a shine to me. I used to love hanging out with her, since she's done some professional Pokémon grooming before.

"Hi Red!" she said with that practically patented smile. She was sitting inside the living room of the Oak House, and was drinking tea as usual. "Blue is out at Grandpa's lab."

Well that was a relief. I'd rather not deal with Blue today. Despite our past as friends, Blue's growing up somehow meant us growing apart. I'm not sure how much of that Daisy realized, but she couldn't have been blind to it. "Well Daisy, I'm actually here because Professor Oak asked for me."

"Oh," she responded. She seemed a bit dejected…although that may have just been wishful thinking. It's hard to tell when her teacup runs dry. "Well, he's at the lab. I was wondering why he was waiting. Guess it was for you!"

That was a little embarrassing, being teased by Daisy. Or at least it seemed that way. "Thanks," I said in a low tone, and walked out.

If anyone couldn't find Professor Oak's laboratory, they had to be blind. And even then, it was so big that that wouldn't take too long before you ran into it. In such a small town, the lab was an iconic piece that took up the majority of the space. The houses in the open field and those hidden in the forest dared not try to topple the lab's status. As I walked around the giant lab and entered, I was horrified at who stood in the back. It was Blue.

Now, Blue's not the worst person ever. But he had made it clear in the past year he really didn't like me. My only guess as to why was jealousy for his grandfather's attention, but I really had no way to affect what Professor Oak thought of me. However, since I'm still friendly, I figured I might as well try to strike up a conversation and find out where the professor is.

"Yo Red!" Blue shouted. It wasn't so bad yet; maybe this could go well. "Gramps isn't around!" Well, so much for being helpful; I guess there's no sense staying here. Although, I do see an odd machine on the desk and three Poké Balls, but it's not my place to investigate. At least past eyesight.

But Professor Oak was definitely hidden away today. Even checking with my friends Yellow and Green and their families living in the forest, none of them knew where he ran off too. I soon had the feeling he was out catching Pokémon, so I decided to head to the edge of town and look for him.

I still didn't see him, and this whole experience was getting annoying. Well, if Professor Oak is out there, then I'll just go look for him. After all, the chances are low something will attack me…right?

With a deep breathe and a brave step, I stepped into the waist high weeds, when a cry came from behind. It couldn't be…the professor?

"Hey! Wait! Don't go out!" Professor Oak shouted. But…where did he come from?

"It's unsafe!" he continued. "Wild Pokémon live in tall grass! You need your own Pokémon for your protection."

I definitely knew that. Even baby Pokémon could cause some serious pain. The only person I know in town with Pokémon is the professor himself, and he keeps them to only showing them off for lessons. He may be highly knowledgeable and wise, but he can be very absentminded and forgets to sit back and listen sometimes.

I meant to give him a response, but I took too long. "I know! Here, come with me!" he said with a triumphant voice. Not like I had anything to lose. We walked all the way back to the lab and into the backroom. He turned back to me and Blue as we stood side by side.

"Gramps! I'm fed up with waiting!" Blue shouted angrily. Gosh, he shouts a lot. I could only give another slit-eyed stare of irritation.

"Blue?" he said in odd curiosity. Did he forget Blue was waiting, or was he just distracted by my reckless charge in the grass? "Let me think...Oh, that's right, I told you to come! Just wait!" I seriously hope it's the latter, or Blue is going to chew me out more.

"Here, Red. There are three Pokémon here. Haha!" I wanted to respond, but the joke flew over my head, so I let him continue. "They are inside the Poké Balls," he said, mistaking my confusion.

"When I was young, I was a serious Pokémon trainer!" I suppose it's believable. Professor Oak wouldn't lie, and he is super-smart when it comes to Pokémon. But how serious is serious, really?

"In my old age, I have only three left, but you can have one!" I was going to be speechless a lot today. "Choose!" It was an honor to even see his Pokémon, but to be given the chance to own one…it was enough to make any kid overjoyed beyond words.

But the mood broke as Blue yelled, "Hey! Gramps! What about me?" Blue Gary Oak knew that, regardless of how annoying he could be seen as, he could grab attention with ease. It annoyed me, and hopefully others, but he wouldn't cease until he had what he wanted.

Professor Oak turned a frustrated eye on Blue and said, "Be patient! Blue, you can have one too!" Blue seemed relieved, but I can tell he's still a little mad I'm choosing first.

Blue saw me staring. "Heh, I don't need to be greedy like you!" Yup, Blue is still a jerk. And it's not even noon. "Go ahead and choose, Red!"

"Now, Red, which Pokémon do you want?" Professor Oak asked. I have no clue. I suppose I can just look at each one and decide which I like better. Looks can be a bad judge, but I couldn't have another factor to decide on.

I started on the right side of the table. Bulbasaur, a seed Pokémon, looks cool, but I decided to keep checking my options. Squirtle, a tiny turtle Pokémon, looked cute, but I wasn't super psyched for it. And then there was Charmander. I don't know what it was about him, but the lizard Pokémon looked both cool and cute to me. And, thinking ahead, that fire coming from its tail tip must be useful for an attack! Once again, it was crunch time. A deep breathe, and a brave step…or grab.

"So!" shouted Professor Oak. Why do the Oaks always shout? "You want the fire Pokémon, Charmander?" I nodded. As I picked up the ball, Oak added "This Pokémon is really energetic!" And just like Charmander, a surge of energy began flowing through me too. Yes, I finally had a Pokémon!

I barely noticed as Blue walked around me and stood by my side. "I'll take this one, then!" he said proudly. Blue grabbed the ball holding the tiny turtle, leaving behind the seed Pokémon. I felt bad for it, having to not get a chance to be chosen, but I was happy with my choice.

Professor Oak smiled gallantly at the boys. Already retreating back to his role as educator, he decided to tell us what the Pokémon could be used for, as if we didn't already know. "If a wild Pokémon appears, your Pokémon can fight against it!"

I was so happy, I scarcely heard him. Unfortunately, Blue was loud enough that I could hear. "My Pokémon looks a lot stronger."

Tired of his boasting, I decided on leaving. With a wave good-bye to the professor, I turned to leave, but Blue wasn't done yet.

"Wait Red! Let's check out our Pokémon!" It took but a second to process what he meant. "Come on, I'll take you on!" For once, I finally felt like a gelling with Blue was occurring again. It wasn't the pleasant friendly thoughts we had as children; instead, it was the sparks of a rivalry, a beginning before a great flame could arise.

Blue walked up, the cocky smile never leaving his face. It was at this point I saw Blue as a rival, and nothing else in the room registered in my mind beside that. This was a chance to get back at Blue Gary Oak for all the transgressions he had put against me. At last, the rivals would face off.

With a joyous shout, Blue summoned his Pokémon. "Squirtle! I choose you!" The blue turtle zoomed out of the ball with a bright light. It was a beautiful sight to witness for the first time. I can't say why the radiance of a Pokemon releasing was so fascinating now that I was trainer; I just knew that now that I was one, I'd be seeing it a lot.

It was now or never…it was my turn. "Go! Charmander!" My lizard followed suit, and as promised, he was still awesome! I feel giddy, but no time to let me stick to that. I've got a battle to win!

"Oh, for Pete's sake," Professor Oak said from behind Blue. "So pushy, as always. You've never had a Pokémon battle before, have you?"

Of course we didn't, but we were totally sure we could handle it. Professor Oak seemed to disagree. "A Pokémon battle is when Trainers pit their Pokémon against each other. The Trainer that makes the other Trainer's Pokémon faint by lowering its HP to 0, wins." It was a duh moment for us, and we both knew it. But we couldn't start with the distraction the professor was providing.

"But rather than talking about it, you'll learn more from experience." You're kidding me, right? "Try battling and see for yourself." I was ready to facepalm, since that was our intention from the beginning, but I had to focus on the battle before me.

According to the Pokégear cell phone I got for my birthday, I had an app for identifying Pokémon techniques. And apparently Charmander knows two moves: Scratch and Growl. What? Those won't use his tail! Ugh…so much for that advantage. In that case, let's just fight back with what we got! "Charmander, Scratch!"

Charmander dashed at Squirtle as Blue ordered, "Tackle!" Charmander managed to scratch Squirtle's face, but Squirtle wasn't out of it yet. He pushed into his whole body into Charmander and sent skidding back toward me. Charmander took some damage, but he was back up and ready to keep fighting. I guess I have no reason to worry after all.

Another Scratch, and another Tackle. Squirtle was desperate to keep Charmander away, but there was no hope. Blue was getting frustrated. He knew that I was faster, and that would be enough for me to win!

But, Blue decided to do a twist. "Tail Whip!" But nothing happened.

"Um…what happened?" I looked at both Pokémon through my Pokégear to see if anything changed on one or both of them. No stat changes, no injuries, was it worthless?

"What happened?!" Blue shouted to the heavens. Professor Oak looked at the two and just sighed.

"Tail Whip would have made Charmander lower its guard, seeing such a cute attack. Except, Charmander blinked."

Silence overtook the lab. I was unsure if I should attack while everyone's guard was down, but I decided now was the best time. "Scratch!"

Charmander was a little confused, but he obeyed and attacked. Squirtle tried to dodge, but he turned around again. The tail took the hit, but that didn't mean total victory.

"Tail Whip!" Blue shouted furiously. This time, Charmander saw the wagging tail, and sure enough, he seemed less tense and worried. Still, a few more hits, and I'll win!

"Scratch!" I said, continuing the loop. But as Blue ordered another Tackle, Charmander took the hit hard. Apparently, Tail Whip works very well. If only Charmander could whip that fire around…

Oh well. "Scratch!" Squirtle used another Tail Whip, but it was too late! Speed really did lead to victory! One more hit, and I'd win!

"End this, Charmander! Scratch!" It all depended on this. Charmander made one last dash. If he missed, he may very well faint! But no, I have faith. My buddy will win!

With three claw mark straight in the face of Squirtle, it was over! Blue's face sunk, and Squirtle was returned into its ball. We won!

"WHAT?" Blue shouted, the loudest he'd ever been. "Unbelievable! I picked the wrong Pokémon!"

Professor Oak grunted, as though upset with what Blue said. However, Professor Oak merely told his grandson, "Blue, you've lost. As a trainer, you're required to pay him a fair amount for his troubles." Blue shoved a measly 175 of his Pokédollars into my hand. But that wasn't important. What was important was that now, I was better than Blue!

As though Blue read my mind, he said, "Okay! I'll make my Pokémon fight to toughen it up! Red! Gramps! Smell ya later!" And with that, Blue walked away, never to be seen again.

I wish.

"Red, raise your young Pokémon by making it fight!" The last words of advice from the Pokémon Professor. I know it won't be easy, but there was no question that it would be fun! But first, let's go show Mom!

I dashed back home to see my lovely mother, and she was so happy to see me as I walked in. "Red! You should take a quick rest."

While I sat back, I told her all about the battle, showed her Charmander. She had that motherly smile of 'I'm so proud.' Sometimes a little embarrassing to see, but today, it was awesome!

After we sat and watched some more of Stand By Me, Charmander started stretching and I followed suit. Mom said, "Oh good! You and your Pokémon are looking great!"

"Thanks Mom," I replied. "Charmander and I are going to go adventuring, we won't be gone long."

She smiled and nodded. "Take care now!" And once I returned Charmander to his ball, we were off!

Route 1, I finally was on it, on my own. Well, sort of. And no repels to protect me this time; just a fiery salamander lizard thing. Well, let's go even farther! Viridian City, baby!

But that didn't last long. A wild Pidgey appeared! I've seen them all the time, but now I was going to battle one! "Go! Charmander!" It was now time to put my new Pokémon to the test of the wild. "Scratch!"

Scratch hit the bird's chest, and I was sure we were going to win. But it wouldn't be an easy win. Suddenly, a large burst of wind, almost like a dust devil, swarmed Charmander! It certainly hit harder than any of those Tackles. But this critical hit wouldn't phase me!

"Scratch!" That Pidgey was so close to death, but unfortunately, so was Charmander. Apparently Pidgey found Charmander's weak spot, and being so close, he was able to land another critical hit. Yeah…I'm worried now.

"Scratch!" I yelled in desperation. I couldn't see Charmander's face, but I bet he was worried too. That blasted pigeon osprey thing survived, but at least Charmander finally had the time to block before Gust could do severe damage. This was it, last hit!

"Scratch!" Wow, I better learn a new move soon before I become a broken record. But at least the enemy Pidgey fainted!

My second battle ever was a success, and it was time to ride this high to the top! But first, I saw a man walking around on Route 1. Not weird I suppose, but his clothes made it seem like he was supposed to be working. Might as well send a greeting his way.

"Hi! I work at a Pokémon mart! It's part of a convenient chain selling all sorts of items." I've only been there once when I was young. It was like a grocery store, I think. At least, that's where Mom would get all the food and repels. "Please, visit us in Viridian City."

The guy was a solicitor, that was obvious, and he soon realized my thoughts. Worried to lose a customer, he added, "I know, I'll give you a sample. Here you go!"

The man gave me a Potion! I only knew a little bit about them, but they were very useful if you had a hurt Pokémon. I considered using it right there, but I decided to wait until I really needed it. "We also carry Poké Balls for catching Pokémon!" Hmm, more Pokémon? Definitely going to Viridian now; I said my thanks and continued the journey.

I decided I wouldn't risk going through too much grass to save Charmander the trouble of fighting so much. But this route has a very odd structure, pointless twists and jagged ledges getting in the way.

As I marched on through another patch of grass, I met a Rattata, but Charmander fought bravely. Thanks to his superior speed, he won, but clearly the wild Pokémon were taking their toll. I knew I had to hurry, but more Pokémon continued to come at us. I had two choices: use the Potion now and risk not having it against another trainer, like Blue; or run away. It seemed cowardly, but I knew I had to protect my buddy. So we ran, and got away safely!

And the reward? Just there, across the path, Viridian City!


	2. Chapter Two: Viridian City

_**Chapter Two: Viridian City**_

At last, we finally arrived. I practically wanted to hug my little buddy, but I realized he was still hurting, so I needed to find a Pokémon Center. From my studies, they were a Pokémon league funded thing. Well that's awesome, but it's time to use their services.

There's some sign telling me I should use it to heal PP, but of course it doesn't say where it is in town. I was about to bow my head and sigh, when just a few meters away stood the Pokémon Center. Oops…

Whatever, healing time! Inside, it seemed like a big building. A few people inside, but nothing too noteworthy. Either way, this wasn't the time to gawk. I gave my hello to the nurse in the back.

"Welcome to our Pokémon Center!" she said in such a cheery voice. "We heal your Pokémon back to perfect health! Shall we heal your Pokémon?" I nodded. "Okay, we'll need your Pokémon."

As I handed Charmander over, she put his Poké Ball into a giant machine next to her. Within a few seconds, and the addition of bright flashing lights, the ball popped right back out, and she gave back my buddy. "Thank you! Your Pokémon are fighting fit!"

Awesome! "We hope to see you again!" Such a nice lady. But let's explore this city; maybe get me some Poké Balls!

However, finding the Pokémon Mart was not as easy. There were lots of people in town. A guy who thought I had more than one Poké Ball for some reason, a grumpy old man and his granddaughter in need of coffee (although something tells me more than coffee is involved), and a guy that liked talking about caterpillar Pokémon. But right there behind him was the store!

I stepped inside, rummaging through my pocket for my Trainer Card, the debit card of Kanto. But then the clerk called out to me. "Hey! You came from Pallet Town?"

"Uh, yeah." How did he know?

"You know Professor Oak, right?" I slowly nodded, unsure of what to say. "His order came in. Can I get you to take it to him?"

I nodded, and the man behind the counter handed me a strange parcel. I took the box and put it in my backpack. "Okay, thanks! Please say hi to Professor Oak for me, too!" Hopefully I won't forget, but I probably will.

My walk back to Pallet Town was mostly uneventful. I was able to stay out of the tall grass mostly, so my battles were hardly existent. It was still an amazing adventure I'd never forget; but first, a special delivery.

I walked inside, and Professor Oak greeted me with a big smile. "Oh, Red! How is my old Pokémon?"

"Oh, he's great, sir!" I cheerfully responded. "We've got into some intense fights, but Charmander is definitely awesome!"

Professor Oak took all my words in and said, "Well, it seems to be growing more attached to you. You must be talented as a Pokémon trainer!" Considering the man, it was one of the greatest compliments of my life.

Unfortunately, business before pleasure…well, except for right now. I reached in my backpack and handed over the parcel.

"What's that? You have something for me?" And with that, I delivered Oak's parcel. I was about to say where I got it from, but Professor Oak interrupted me.

"Ah! It's the custom Poké Ball! I had it on order." Custom Poké Ball? "Thank you!" It seemed like Professor Oak was about to say more, but a familiar shout exuded through the lab.

"Gramps!" Oh great. Blue walked up and asked, "What did you call me for?"

"Oh right!" Professor Oak answered, preoccupied with other thoughts as usual. "I have a request for you two." Blue slouched where he stood, and I didn't blame him. There's always a catch, isn't there?

"On the desk there is my invention, the Pokédex!" The odd machine from earlier? "It automatically records data on Pokémon you've seen or caught. It's a high-tech encyclopedia!" My eyes bulged a little at that. A device capable of scanning a Pokémon by sight and organizing data created by…someone. Who cares, it was impressive, to say the least.

"Red and Blue. Take these with you." I guess it's not a catch after all, it's a huge reward! I got the Pokédex from Professor Oak and started messing around with it, but Professor Oak wasn't done talking yet. "You can't get detailed data on Pokémon just by seeing them. You must catch them to obtain complete data."

He then began digging in his pockets. "So, here are some tools for catching wild Pokémon." He handed us each five Poké Balls! "When a wild Pokémon appears, it's fair game. Just throw a Poké Ball at it and try to catch it!" I wasn't very familiar with Poké Ball usage, but I knew enough that the professor was still being redundant. Still, I appreciated his help.

He added, "This won't always work, however. A healthy Pokémon can escape. You have to be lucky!" This made me a bit nervous, since I wasn't sure how lucky I'd need to be…but I still had hope!

"To make a complete guide on all the Pokémon in the world," he said, practically daydreaming. "That was my dream! But, I'm too old. I can't get the job done." Although, this is starting to smell like a catch again… "So, I want you two to fulfill my dream for me." Woah, seriously? He wants us to record them all?!

"Get moving, you two!" he said, his voice exploding with pride and joy. "This is a great undertaking in Pokémon history!"

Wow…I looked to see what Blue was thinking, and I could see it in his eyes: the thirst for fame and glory. "Alright Gramps! Leave it all to me!" Please don't be a jerk, please don't be a jerk.

"Red, I hate to say it, but you won't be necessary for this." Um…is that a compliment? Impossible. Still, I had to say something before things got out of control.

"Professor, how will we know where to go?" I wasn't sure if Professor Oak could answer me, but apparently Blue could.

"I know! I'll borrow a Town Map from my sis!" A genius idea! Plus, Daisy may have had some leftover maps from her Pokémon Contest days. "I'll tell her not to lend you one, Red! Hahaha!" I was hoping he was joking, but he then took on a serious face and added, "Don't bother coming around to my place after this!"

The slit eyes of irritation return. But he didn't care, and soon strut off. I looked to the professor for advice, but all he had to say was, "Pokémon around the world wait for you, Red!" Yeah, let's just go all over the world. Especially without a map. Smart idea.

Apparently Professor Oak didn't understand my expression, so I just stormed off. Daisy would never listen to her jerk brother's despicable command, so I might as well grab a map now.

As I explained my situation, Daisy merely said, "Grandpa asked you to run an errand? Gee, that's lazy of him" A bit bigger than an errand, Daisy. "Here, this will help you." Either she was a mind reader, or her brother made it too obvious, because now I had a Town Map! "Use the Town Map to find out where you are."

A little crude, but it would definitely help navigate Kanto. But, the good son that I am (I swear I'm being modest), I better ask Mom for permission. One Charmander isn't much protection.

As Mom and I talked, I could her eyes welling up with tears. Now her crazy quote about Stand By Me made total sense. I started to feel bad; Dad passed away years ago, and now I was abandoning Mom…

"No, you go honey," she sniffled, wiping away her tears and wearing a proud smile. "Your father was a great trainer, and I know you'll be too! Just please, be careful. Promise me that, and I promise I'll be okay too," she said with a long-lasting hug.

Yeah, we're a sappy family. But that hug would be one of the last hugs I'd get for a long time, so I was going to enjoy every second of it.

It was a restless night. And no, for once it wasn't because of the common cliché associated with fear or anything, it was absolute joy. Charmander was allowed to stay out of his ball as long as he watched his tail, and he happily obeyed.

Sadly, trainers needed a special license to let Pokémon out freely in public, or so Green told me, and that was far too expensive to buy. Still, my room was fine, so the two of us sat down and memorized the map.

There was no way we'd return home for awhile, so we made sure to grab plenty of supplies. Mom would be annoyed at that, but she was fine as long as we stayed well fed. To be truthful, Pokémon don't need food, they can live without it. But hey, Charmander's my buddy.

We also noticed that the Pokémon League was west of Viridian City. We wouldn't be allowed in, but the sight was considered inspiring, so that was the first stop for tomorrow. It took hours to fall asleep. It wasn't so hard for Charmander; the Poké Ball relaxed my pal enough. But my bed was not so advanced.

Still, I slipped into a dream, surrounded by Charmanders, with a giant beast, a Pokémon, almost like a classic kind of dragon, flying through the sky. The dream felt like it lit a flame in my heart as I watched the dragon soar.

But as good as the dream was, I never felt so happy to wake up early. I grabbed my Poké Ball and let out Charmander, who was a little grumpy, but ready to go. We snuck into Mom's room, hidden below the house, and tried to wake her up. Definitely not a morning person.

But with her coffee, she was Super Mom! We ate up and wanted to rush out the door, but Mom took her sweet time, and we all knew why. With the last of my food, water, and other stuff packed away, we were ready to go!

I returned Charmander, and looked to Mom. The tears were streaming down her face, and it took every meter of my power to hold back mine.

Then she hugged me. So much for that. But we said our good-byes, and I promised to call every night. It was hard on the both of us, but as I opened that door, she said one last thing. "Son?"

"Yes Mom," afraid of another hug that would cause another breakdown.

"Promise me one more thing. Promise me, you'll do whatever it takes to be the very best!"

I turned back to her, and saw her beautiful face staring back at me. Those caring eyes gave me the strength that would propel me for the rest of my days. I gave her a smile and a wink. "Like no one ever was."

You know, for such a boring town, leaving it can be really hard. Bad enough I'm leaving the comfort of home and Mom, but I'm also abandoning my two best friends, Yellow and Green. They both turned 10 recently, but I think they haven't got their trainer cards yet, which they'll need to prove they're legal for Pokémon usage.

Nevertheless, as I walked out of town, there they were, ready to say their farewells. "Red, man," Yellow said, "You have a blast out there. And don't you worry; I'll be seeing you soon." Gave him the cool secret handshake every best bud combo has, and gave him a confident smile to match his smirk.

"Red," said Green, a bit meeker but still a loyal friend. "You be careful out there." She sounded almost as worried as Mom, but changed her attitude right away. "I'll be out there soon too, so you make sure you warm up the routes for me!"

After one more hug, I said, "You guys, I'll be waiting to see you too. So hurry up!" With that, I turned and ran; well, as much as the shoes would let me, it really hurt to run in them. But that would be more dramatic.

Speaking of which, I noticed that the other townspeople, even Daisy, weren't here, which must have meant Blue left already. Shoot, he's ahead of me! Or, is he behind? Wouldn't Daisy say bye too? Either way, I had to hurry!

But thankfully it didn't take too long, and I was back in Viridian! As I entered the city, a thought crossed my mind: what if five Poké Balls? Well, I definitely need as many as I can get, so I might as well buy those first.

Once I entered, I immediately realized I forgot to send across the clerk's greeting to Professor Oak, but apparently I wasn't the only forgetful one. "Hi there!" the clerk said, "May I help you?" If I didn't know better (and maybe I don't), I'd say he didn't recognize me, but oh well.

"Well, I'm looking for new trainer supplies," I answered, a little nervous.

The man had an understanding look about him, and waved his hand to the glass counter. "Take your time." Three medicines and a bunch of Poké Balls. Huh. Well, better to be safe; I bought three Poké Balls and one of each medicine. Now, let's go to the Pokémon League!

Route 22, boy, we're going out of order already. But, right as I step into the grass, a wild Nidoran appears! I'm sure Charmander can handle this little guy!

"Go! Charmander!" Sheesh, that better not be my catch phrase. A barrage of Scratches help me ease Nidoran down, and as any novice trainer knows…hopefully, that means it's time to catch this bad boy!

"Go, Poké Ball!" Shoot, curse the dramatic me. But for the first time, I got to see in person a Poké Ball wiggle. And again. And again!

And it broke free. Shoot! It was so close too! But a good trainer doesn't give up, no matter what.

With one more toss, I just knew this would be it. One. Two. Three! Lock! All right! Nidoran caught!

Then, as if to give me a heart attack as a reward, a computerized male voice came out of nowhere. "New Pokédex data will be added for Nidoran !" I looked everywhere, wondering what in the world that was, before I realized, it came from my backpack.

I tore it open and found the noisemaker: the Pokédex. Right there on the screen was everything you'd need to know about Nidoran . Except stats or attacks or anything. But what trainer would ever want that? But that did leave me with a question, and as I looked through the Pokédex, I realized the unfortunate answer.

Yes, if you catch a Pokémon, you'll get all sorts of data probably recorded by old guys from over the years. But if you only see it, you just get a picture and an area location. Shoot, that won't help me much. Guess I have to do this mission the hard way.

Oh well, back to celebrating. My little buddy was hurt, and my new buddy was too, but I decided to take one more look around before I headed back to heal. I know, what about the League? "But there's Pokémon!" I say out loud to no one in a whiny voice.

After a good deal of battling, I managed to get another pal, Rattata, and give my new friends some experience. But now, finally, we could go to the Pokémon League!

"Hey! Red!" Shoot. There he was, Blue, walking from there. He apparently stole my idea, which was going to sting for a long time. "You're off to the Pokémon League?" I was about to explain myself, but of course, interruptions are more fun. "Forget about it!" Why me? "You probably don't have any badges, do you? The guard won't let you through without them."

So many ways to say duh, but I can handle this jerk. After all, we may never see each other after this. "By the way, did your Pokémon get any stronger?" This wasn't a question, it was a challenge.

Fine, if Blue wants to fight, so be it! "I choose you, Pidgey!"

"Go! Nidoran !" Oops, I'm getting addicted to that phrase. But enough banter, time for action. Unfortunately, starting with Nidoran was a bad idea. He was barely hurting the bird, and that made me fear that even Charmander may have a tough time. So, it was time to try a new strategy.

"Leer!" I shouted. Leer would give that Pidgey a good scare, and that would definitely force it to replace defense with fright. But as if Blue knew what I was up to, he beat down my Nidoran with Gust. This is really bad, Nidoran fainted and now I needed Charmander to save me. I promised myself I would train like crazy from now on if I won this fight.

"One down," Blue said with a sneer. Oh, you're going down, Blue. And no matter how many times you get up, I'll keep taking you down.

Charmander roared onto the scene. And yet he's still so cute! But my cutie will trounce Blue, and sure enough, my assault of Scratches wore the Pidgey down. Unfortunately, it came with a ton of damage. Gust versus Scratch, and while Charmander was fast enough to block a potential critical hit, the Gusts hurt.

And with one last critical hit, Pidgey was done! But with all Charmander's damage, this was going to be a hard fight when Squirtle came out. Rattata would be my best bet to give Charmander some time. At the very least, Charmander knew Ember, so that would be useful later. "End this fight, Squirtle!"

"Charmander enough! Come back!" With a beam of light, he was brought back into the ball, and right after that, I threw Rattata to the field. Since there was no way Rattata could beat his turtle, my best bet was to give Charmander a fighting chance.

"Tail Whip!" Not only was it a bit of vengeance for that Tail Whip barrage at the lab, but it was a nice hit to the turtle's defense too. Unfortunately, Tackle hurt so much that even Tail Whip wouldn't be that helpful.

"Hahaha, Tail Whip? You're so dead, Red!" My patience is so thin right now. "Here, let me humor you! Tail Whip!" He may be a jerk, but he just bought me a turn. Another Tail Whip, and my chances got a little better. Until he showed off his new move.

"Alright, enough humor," he said, wiping away a tear. "Bubble!" What? Squirtle shot some bubbles from his mouth, and they moved faster than any bubble I had ever seen. And unfortunately, that was the same for Rattata. "Never stood a chance," the smirk never leaving his face as he said it.

"This is it," I said quietly. "Win for me, buddy. Go! Charmander!" Now, Ember would be lovely, if he wasn't Water type. So, that leaves only one move. "Scratch!"

Not only did it barely hurt, but it got worse, his Tackle put me near the edge. I reluctantly pulled out my only Potion, saving my little buddy, but a few Bubbles still smacked him right in the face.

It occurs to me that Squirtle is going to be a tank, and with Bubble, I'm doomed. So I instead went with Growl, hoping I could shrink his attack. It worked…sort of. It's taking too long. It looks like I won't win. But if I'm going down, I'm taking that turtle down as much as I can! "Scratch!"

Blue went with Tackle again, and I saw it. There's still a chance! If I'm right, whoever lands the next hit wins! "Charmander! Scratch and win!"

"Squirtle! Tackle it to death!" Squirtle and Charmander charged towards each other, ready to fight for their masters till the end. Squirtle lowered its head and went for the finisher, but Charmander, just mere inches from defeat, jumped over the turtle. Blue and I stood stunned as it flew over and landed right behind the Water Pokémon. And right as Squirtle turned around, so did Charmander, leading with a massive claw to the face! Squirtle gripped its head in pain as it fell over, and with that, we defeated Blue! With just one HP to spare, too!

"Awww! You just lucked out!" Clearly he was annoyed as he transferred the money and returned Squirtle to its ball. "I heard Pokémon League is crawling with tough trainers."

I can't say I'm surprised, trainers from all over gather, especially from Kanto and Johto. "I have to figure out how to get past them." he continued. "You should quit dawdling and get a move on!" Says the guy who's doing the exact same thing as me. I tried to give him my patent-pending annoyed stare, but he waltzed off back to Viridian. Unfortunately, I'll have to follow him before I continue on; my pals are looking pretty beat up.

True to my word, I began the annoying process of training. I also managed to catch a Nidoran as I trekked along. This team is looking good so far! But finally, for real this time, I arrived. The Pokémon League Front Gate.

I stepped inside, and took in the legendary surroundings. The statues looked awesome, and the place had that epic feeling about it. Surprisingly only one guard blocked the exit. I went to talk to them, and they told me an obviously rehearsed line. "Only truly skilled trainers are allowed through. You don't have the Boulder Badge yet!" He gave me a wicked scowl, and I was ready to back off, but he softened a bit before saying, "The rules are rules. I can't let you pass."

I was about to say I understood, until the dude pushed me! Jerk, he must have been taking lessons from Blue.

At that point, I felt I might as well go look for this Boulder Badge. Unfortunately, Professor Oak didn't teach us much about gyms, but I'm pretty sure every major city has one, and Viridian is definitely a major city.

So as I walked through town, I saw a familiar face: the old man who was apparently too grumpy to let us pass. "Ahh," he said, "Well, now, I've had my coffee, and that's what I need to get going!" I really hope he does mean coffee this time.

I asked if I could go through, and he happily responded, "Sure you can go through!" Did he forget that he wouldn't let me yesterday? But before I could turn and forget the old guy, he asked, "Are you in a hurry?" I wanted to say yes, but I can't lie, so I admitted I wasn't. He looked me over and noticed in my hand the Pokédex. "Hm? What is that red box you have?"

I responded by saying it was a Pokédex, made and given to me by Professor Oak. He nodded, as if understanding everything I said was so simple. "Ah, so you're working on your Pokédex. Then let me give you a word of advice." He began pointing and speaking about the Pokédex as if he invented it! "Whenever you catch a Pokémon, the Pokédex is automatically updates its data." I was about to ask him how he knew all this, but clearly he was on a roll. He looked at me for a few seconds, as if waiting for a response. "…You don't know how to catch a Pokémon?"

"Of course I-"

"I suppose I had better show you then." I already know! But before I could counter him, a wild Weedle appeared out of nowhere! But he apparently had a Poké Ball handy, and caught it in one go.

"Not bad," I said. Although I wonder how a Pokémon just crawled into town right as the old man needed a demonstration, but I decided to humor him for now.

"First, you need to weaken the target Pokémon." But you didn't. You're giving contradictory advice, old man! Instead, he threw the ball and immediately caught the Weedle. Congratulations? "There! Now tell me, that was educational, was it not?"

"Uh huh," I said in a skeptical tone. "Well, thank you for the help, sir."

"Oh, no trouble, my boy." I turned to leave, but he still had more to say. "And here, take this, too." He handed me a strange mini TV that was small enough to fit in my pocket. "That's a Teachy TV! It only has one channel, but it features my grandson, Primo! If there's something you don't understand, watch that. It will teach you about the basics of being a Pokémon Trainer!"

Sure, now can I go? Of course, I kept my manners up and instead repeated myself. "Thank you for the help, sir."

He nodded farewell and said one last thing. "You may call me Old Man." No.

Thankfully, just to the east stood a giant building with the word "GYM" on it. It looks like my first gym battle was about to go down!

Until I tried the door. Apparently the gym's doors are locked. Shoot.

"This Pokémon gym is always closed," said a man standing by the side. "I wonder who the leader is?"

"So then you have no idea when he'll be back?"

"Nope, I'm just bored." Why are people so weird? Still, as I hopped over a ledge back into the main part of town, my hopes began to fade. The first gym, and it's already abandoned. I looked around town, asking if anyone had more information, but no luck.

Well, the Pokémon League requires eight badges, so either there's a new gym or the League will have to get involved. But for now I guess I'll just find another gym. No sense waiting for bureaucracy to settle my problems.

So then, enough waiting; it's time to hit Route 2.

Route 2 was purely easy, and I only ran into a Weedle. I tried to copy…Old Man, and just threw a Poké Ball. Of course it didn't work. I knew that guy was a cheat. Still, I was easily able to catch the hairy bug after I hit it a bit.

And afterward, I entered the guard station between Route 2 and Viridian Forest. Now, no one really understood the purpose of lookout stations unless you really knew your history. According to Professor Oak, the lookout stations separated areas apart. Normally they do nothing, but they act as a barrier just in case the Pokémon get too antsy. Or worse: aggressive.

Either way, Pokémon hardly ever attacked humans, so I wasn't worried. At least about that. But getting lost in Viridian Forest; that worried me. People liked to call it a natural maze, and I can already tell that's what it'll be. It's ominous, filled with bugs, and could take awhile to get through. Such is the life of a trainer, right?

As I reached a giant tree, separate from the others, a boy nearby grabbed my attention. "I came here with some friends! They're out for Pokémon fights!"

"So why aren't you with them?" I asked in confusion.

"Uh…mine already fainted." I don't know if I should consider him pitiable or take it as a warning.

Still, he wasn't lying, there were trainers out and about. Apparently all these Viridian kids were Bug Catchers, which is really an odd way to restrict yourself, but if TV has taught me anything, it's that little kids like bugs. Explains my Weedle. Also, apparently I can't jam out if I'm a trainer. Right…

Anyway, despite the formidable appearance and reputation, Viridian Forest was easy enough to get through. And it came with its own reward. Weedle evolved into Kakuna! At first I was worried I'd be stuck in a Harden War, but my Kakuna is so smart, it remembers the old attacks it knew! Six Pokémon so far; Professor Oak, I'm on my way.


End file.
